1 1: The lost championship

A tense silence gripped the stadium. Everyone's eyes were glued to the central monitor screen. Currently, the final match was being broadcasted live to the world.

On the screen, the green avatar went up against the red avatar, both fighting for dominance.

Skills danced against each other as both players tried to get the upper hand. Lights flashed across the screen as they both fought and taunted each other. It was a glorious fight till the end.

[And what do we have here folks? This is a final worth remembering. In the right corner, we have the two times world champion. The red corner sure looks strong this year. Will the outstanding rookie in the green corner be able to keep up?]

The stadium breathed in as one as they watched the green rookie dodge the incoming strike.

They all cheered for the near-fatal miss and the expertise with which the rookie executed his combos. The supporters of the Green Corner were especially elated to see that they had a chance.

However, what looked like a masterful dodge to ordinary people looked quite different in expert eyes. Their sharp eyes did not miss the trap that had been laid out in front of the rookie.

[What a masterful dodge that was. Such a display of skills is only possible if performed by someone personally trained by the legendary trainer Olivier Williams. Now, what will the professional player and the two times world champion, 'Beast King Henry' do against this upcoming rising star Lucas Lee?]

The announcer cheered, causing the audience to follow along.

The competition was heating up as the two avatars on the screen fought against each other. Their health bars were being depleted at an 'almost' equal amount.

So, it was safe to say that there was no definitive outcome to this match. Even the pros could not tell which side was winning right now.

But there was one person who stopped paying attention as soon as the rookie's 'miraculous' dodge had been made.

This person was the so-called 'Legendary' Olivier Williams. He was a man in his 30s and he had a decade of experience playing and observing this game.

Most of the current players had not even been capable of holding a console when he had mastered this game.

It was such a shame that the league had not been established in time for his carrier to soar into the sky. He had been too old to compete by the time this league for 'Echoes' had been established.

So, he had vowed to take his 'team' to the world stage if he could not make it himself. He had tried his best to train people and to impart his knowledge of the game to them.

Olivier had brought excellent teams to this competition year after year, but he had never seen his team win after the first time. It was almost like his first team had cursed his future teams.

Even this time, he knew this match was lost. Lucas Lee was a talented kid and he also had a promising future in front of him. He was only 17, but he had managed to reach the final of this world championship for the Echoes Cup.

But it was unfortunate that Lucas Lee was going to lose this fight. Olivier as sure about this as he was about his next meal.

Henry was someone Olivier had taught a long time ago. And now he was standing against Olivier's current team.

'Knowing Henry, he must be playing with the kid. But the timer is about to run dangerously slow now. The difference in experience should be starting to show up now.'

Neither Olivier nor the other professionals were surprised when the tides of the match suddenly changed from an even playing field to the red corner's favour.

No one was especially surprised to see Lucas Lee; the young rookie starts making mistakes once he was being pressed into the corner.

In the end, the conclusion to the final match happened in under a minute. Lucas Lee was crushed and Henry's team was crowned the winner once again.

Everyone cheered at the outcome. The audience stood up and applauded the young and talented player who managed to stand so long against the world champion.

Even the other players stood up, wanting to congratulate the youngster who managed to hang on this long. No one had expected a rookie to go up against the world champion in the final match.

But that was what Olivier Williams had decided would happen.

"Lucas, you did well. You can show your face to the world with pride. Neither your seniors nor the management would hold you accountable for this loss."

Olivier put his hand on the seventeen-year-olds shoulder to console him. He had known that the kid would not be able to win this fight. But he still pushed the kid to fight till the end.

So, in the end, it was all Olivier's fault that the green team lost this final.

"You knew this was going to happen. Master, you knew I had no chance to win from the start, right? I can see it in your eyes now - your lack of faith and your anger at my loss."

Lucas questioned the elder with a wet voice. His angry expression stared Olivier in the face as fat tears finally escaped those young eyes.

"You knew I was going to lose! That the team was going to lose! And you still insisted I came out to fight this final battle. Why would you do this to me? Did you have any intentions to help us win this fight?"

Lucas questioned again with a colder voice. He seemed crossed with Olivier, not seeing the bigger picture.

Just because they had not managed to win this time meant nothing. Now Lucas had experience and he would do better in the next match. It was all for the team's future and-

'Ah, I am doing that again. I am expecting this talented kid to stay back in a team that made use of his talent and exploited him. I guess I am asking too much from him at this point.'

Lucas felt sorry for the kid.

And because he felt sorry for the kid, he decided to let the kid leave for now. There was nothing left for the kid in this cabin.

"Master, answer me!"

Lucas demanded once more and Olivier knew he needed to give the kid an answer. But now was neither the time nor the place to have such a sensitive discussion. Time for such talks would come later.

"Lucas, I promise we will get to talk later about why this happened. For now, you should step out and greet the audience. They are waiting for you to come out."

Lucas looked back at his teacher's blank expression. Just as ever, the younger was not able to read anything his teacher was thinking about.

It had been the case for as long as Lucas remembered it being.

"Alright. It is a deal so don't you dare disappear on me! I want to know the reasons behind your decisions."

Olivier agreed and watched Lucas go out with a heavy heart.

He knew the drill after being subjected to the same thing every single year. He needed to remain calm and attend the call.

*ring*

Olivier's phone buzzed at the exact time it always did. And the number was also one he had memorized by heart.

"Hello, Olivier Williams speaking. May I know what you need from me?"

Olivier tried to keep the mood light and cheerful but the other side did not radiate the same energy. There was tense silence on the other side of the phone.

Finally, a raspy voice spoke up. It was one Olivier was familiar with and someone he had worked with for years.

But despite such a well-known and long-lasting partnership, Olivier knew this was going to be a difficult call to bear. Maximilian Bard was a man who could not bear failures particularly well.

Especially when the failure concerned his investment and time.

"Olivier, you promised me results. Where is the championship trophy we were supposed to receive? Why did it go to the red team when you were right there? What were you doing?"

Olivier flinched at the loud voice his phone's speaker was letting out. It hurt his ear to hold the phone so close.

But Olivier decided to forgive Max this time. The older tycoon had been very helpful and sympathetic to Olivier's situation. The least Olivier could do for him was remain patient.

"Sorry, Max. If you are calling me right now then you know what happened. We were unable to win this year as well. But next time we will do better. Next time, Lucas will have much more experience and-"

"You think Lucas Lee will sign with us for next year? Lucas Lee might be a rookie but he is someone who fought in the world championship finals. And that is also against the current three times world champion. We will not be able to afford him anymore."

Maximilian cut through Olivier's phantasy in a swift strike. He also reminded Olivier why they had not been able to win a championship up till now.

It was because they could not afford a full team of champions. They did have 2-3 members who were up to par, but not a whole team that could win. It was a miracle they had even reached the final round this time.

"Do not say things like that Max. I know my other students did not stay back but I do not resent them for it. It was not their fault they got better offers and I am happy to see them in their current position. But I feel like Lucas is different and he will-"

Once again, Olivier was stopped short by Max's rude cough.

"You might be the only one who thinks that Olivier. I have told you before that your thinking is a little bit weird. Most people are not loyal to a person or idea. They will go if money compels them to go."

Olivier fell quiet after he heard Max's speech. He knew it in his heart that Max was right. No one had stayed behind once a recruit with a better offer had approached them.

But maybe things will be different this time. Lucas had seemed *personally* invested in this project and-

"Anyway, you did not forget about 'our' side of the deal, right? You did promise to work for me at minimum wages if you failed this time as well. And it looks like I won this time."

Olivier sighed as soon as he heard Max's comment. His old friend could be such a pain most of the time.

"Max, you already pay me the minimum wage so it is not my loss. But you will not take away my access to the training rooms, right?"

Max scoffed at the phone.

"Of course, now. Someone needs to research the game more and find out new strategies. And I trust only you to do that for me. Well, I need to get going now. The press is asking for an interview and I need to reply to them."

The phone call ended quite abruptly but Olivier was able to breathe more calmly.

He was still in the safe for now. Minimum wages did not matter to him when everything he wanted was being provided in the office building, he worked at. He did not even need a bed to sleep on for the time being.

Things were going smoothly.

"Things would get better soon. Next year, we will win. I am sure the championship trophy would come back home soon."

Olivier looked up and saw a blast of white. But when he blinked, he found it to be the ceiling light he had accidentally been staring at.

The sudden burst of light hurt Olivier's eyes and he rubbed them to get the sting out. He was quite sure he had been alone in the room until now.

But suddenly, someone was standing right behind him and holding him at gunpoint.